Sunday , 19 March 2017
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IPC European Championships: Jonnie Peacock wins gold

_77046547_77046546Paralympic champions Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft claimed golds as GB won 15 medals on the first day of the IPC Athletics European Championships. 

Amputee sprinter Peacock triumphed in the T44 100m to complete the set of European, Paralympic and World titles.

Wheelchair racer Cockroft, 22, did the same in the T34 100m, finishing 1.4 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

There were also two golds for GB debutant Sammi Kinghorn, 18, in both the T53 100 and 400m races.

The wheelchair racer beat the only other competitor in both events, Turkey’s Hamide Kurt, for a memorable day’s work.

“The 100 and 400m events are totally different races so to be on the podium is amazing but they were both tough events,” she told BBC Sport.

Peacock, 21, who missed part of the season with a back problem, showed he is getting back to his best, leading from start to finish in his final to beat Germany’s Felix Streng in a time of 11.26 seconds.

“I’m really pleased I could come here and execute the race,” he said.

“It is hard to stay focussed when everyone says you are going to win but you don’t get a gold medal until you win the race.

“The headwind was strong and I made an error at about 60m but I was able to recover from that and it is really nice to now hold all three international titles.”

Cockroft’s winning time of 18.53 seconds was well down on the world record of 17.31 seconds she set earlier this year, while team-mate Mel Nicholls won a first major international medal with bronze.

“I was comfortable out there,” said Cockroft, who finished 1.4 seconds ahead of the field.

“I know the 100m is my strongest event and it was about going out there, laying down a marker and showing the rest of the girls I mean business, especially ahead of the 800m final on Friday.

“It’s my first European title so it is a special moment for me and I now want to go and complete the double.

“I want to be one of the best wheelchair racers in the world – I’m getting there slowly but surely.”

BBC Sport